Skyscrapers Library
Content contributed by the members of Skyscrapers. These articles are usually submittions to The Skyscraper.
Observing the Planet Venus
David Huestis; February 2012
Venus is going to be visible for several months, culminating in its transit across the face of the Sun on June 5.
433 Eros
Glenn Chaple; February 2012
Very rarely does a near-earth asteroid become bright enough to be seen with small backyard scopes. A notable exception is the asteroid 433 Eros. Around the time of its nearest approach on January 31, Eros will be 16.6 million miles from Earth.
The Full Moon in February
Francine Jackson; February 2012
Meteor Shower Prospects for 2012 and Other Astronomical Highlights
David Huestis; January 2012
M74: Galaxy in Pisces
Glenn Chaple; January 2012
The Full Moon in January
Francine Jackson; January 2012
2011
Meteor(ocre) Prospects for the Geminid Meteor Shower
David Huestis; December 2011
The Constellations in December
Francine Jackson; December 2011
Observe Delta Cephei
Gerry Dyck; December 2011
M33: Galaxy in Triangulum
Glenn Chaple; December 2011
The Constellations in November
Francine Jackson; November 2011
Pleasure at the Telescope: Observing Jupiter
David Huestis; November 2011
Poor Prospects for November’s Meteors
David Huestis; November 2011
John T. Hopf (1920-2011)
Bob Napier; November 2011
October Meteor Showers
David Huestis; October 2011
β Cygni (Albireo)
Glenn Chaple; October 2011
The Constellations in October
Francine Jackson; October 2011
Ordinary turns into the Extraordinary
Thomas Thibault; October 2011
Skyscrapers Jam at the Newport Folk Festival
Thomas Thibault; October 2011
Lets All Observe Neptune’s First Year Anniversary
Steve Siok; October 2011
The Constellations in September
Francine Jackson; September 2011
Reason for the Season The Autumnal Equinox
David Huestis; September 2011
M56: Globular Cluster in Lyra
Glenn Chaple; September 2011
The Ships of Sheliak
Jim Hendrickson; September 2011
The Constellations in August
Francine Jackson; August 2011
August Meteor Shower to be Mooned Out & Observing the Last Quarter Moon
David Huestis; August 2011
The 30-Year Legacy of NASA's Remarkable Spacecraft: The Space Shuttles
Jim Hendrickson; August 2011
Space Places in Rhode Island: Frosty Drew Observatory
David Huestis; July 2011
A Visit to Vesta
Jim Hendrickson; July 2011
The Constellations in July
Francine Jackson; July 2011
M92: Globular Cluster in Hercules
Glenn Chaple; July 2011
Midland Mall Remembrance
David Huestis; June 2011
The Circumpolar Constellations
Francine Jackson; June 2011
β Scorpii
Glenn Chaple; June 2011
Kennedy Space Center: The Gateway to the Stars
Thomas Thibault; May 2011
The Constellations of May
Francine Jackson; May 2011
Shooting Stars of May
David Huestis; May 2011
3C 273 Quasar in Virgo
Glenn Chaple; May 2011
Get Ready to Observe Saturn
David Huestis; April 2011
The Constellations of Spring
Francine Jackson; April 2011
Seeking Markarian 421: The Brightest Blazar
Craig Cortis; April 2011
NGC 2903: Spiral Galaxy in Leo
Glenn Chaple; April 2011
Dateline: North Scituate
David Huestis; April 2011
Astronomical Potpourri in March
David Huestis; March 2011
Alpha (a) Geminorum (Castor)
Glenn Chaple; March 2011
In Like a Lion... Out Like a Lamb
Francine Jackson; March 2011
Getting to Know the Big Dipper
Jim Hendrickson; March 2011
Sky Notes: February 2011
Francine Jackson; February 2011
Orion the Hunter
David Huestis; February 2011
beta (β) Monocerotis
Glenn Chaple; February 2011
2011 Quadrantid Observing Report
David Huestis; January 2011
Sky Notes: January 2011
Francine Jackson; January 2011
Meteor Shower Prospects for 2011 & Other Astronomical Highlights
David Huestis; January 2011
Uranus
Glenn Chaple; January 2011
2010
Sky Notes: December 2010
Francine Jackson; December 2010
NGC 457 (the “ET Cluster”)
Glenn Chaple; December 2010
A “Star” That Wasn’t Supposed to Be There
Craig Cortis; December 2010
A Great Month for Astronomy Enthusiasts
David Huestis; December 2010
The Great World Wide Star Count
Glenn Chaple; November 2010
Sky Notes: November 2010
Francine Jackson; November 2010
There’s Always Time for Astronomical Pleasures
Thomas Thibault; November 2010
October Meteor Showers
David Huestis; October 2010
Sky Notes: October 2010
Francine Jackson; October 2010
Neptune: The Blue World
Craig Cortis; October 2010
Delta (δ) and Mu (μ) Cephei
Glenn Chaple; October 2010
Stella-this and Stella-that
Gerry Dyck; September 2010
Get Ready to Observe Jupiter
David Huestis; September 2010
Sky Notes: September 2010
Francine Jackson; September 2010
A Star-Hop that Finally Worked!
Craig Cortis; September 2010
The "Little Big Dipper"
Jim Hendrickson; September 2010
An Opportunity to Easily Locate Uranus
Jim Hendrickson; September 2010
The Milky Way
Glenn Chaple; September 2010
Corona Australis & the Southern Limits of Sagittarius
Craig Cortis; August 2010
Teardrops from the Sky Gods
David Huestis; August 2010
IC 4665
Glenn Chaple; August 2010
Book Review: The Sun and The Moon by Matthew Goodman
Francine Jackson; August 2010
An Observation of Comet C/2009 R1 (McNaught)
Craig Cortis; July 2010
NGC 6207
Glenn Chaple; July 2010
It’s Full of Stars!
David Huestis; June 2010
Izar (ε Boötis)
Glenn Chaple; June 2010
Something for Everyone
David Huestis; May 2010
M40: The “Unknown” Messier Object
Glenn Chaple; May 2010
Can You Find a Quasar? (You Might be Surprised!)
Craig Cortis; May 2010
Celebrating the Sesquicentennial Birthday of Frank Evans Seagrave (1860–1934)
David Huestis; April 2010
April Lyrids Meteor Shower & Other Events Worth Watching
David Huestis; April 2010
Sirius
Glenn Chaple; April 2010
Southern Viewing at Sea
Thomas Thibault; March 2010
Astronomical Potpourri for March
David Huestis; March 2010
h 3945 Canis Majoris
Glenn Chaple; March 2010
The Return of Mars
David Huestis; February 2010
Beta Orionis (Rigel)
Glenn Chaple; February 2010
Meteor Showers of 2010
David Huestis; January 2010
Iway Bridge Light Pillar Should Be Shut Down
Jim Hendrickson; January 2010
omicron Ceti (Mira, the “Wonderful”)
Glenn Chaple; January 2010
2009
2009 Geminid Meteor Shower Report
David Huestis; December 2009
Avoiding the “Trash Scope” Trap
Craig Cortis; December 2009
Ursid Meteor Shower
Glenn Chaple; December 2009
2009 Leonids Observing Report
David Huestis; November 2009
Beta Persei (Algol, the "Demon Star")
Glenn Chaple; November 2009
Taking the Broad View: Skywatching with your Naked Eyes
Craig Cortis; November 2009
An Early Holiday Gift from the Sky Gods
David Huestis; November 2009
October Meteor Showers
David Huestis; October 2009
NGC 7293: the Helix Nebula
Glenn Chaple; October 2009
Visual Observing With The 40-Inch Yerkes Refractor
Steve Hubbard; September 2009
Building an Equatorial Mount
James Brenek; September 2009
The Pleasures of Jupiter
David Huestis; September 2009
Epsilon Pegasi: The Pendulum Star
Glenn Chaple; September 2009
Cygnus X-1: A Black Hole You Can Find!
Craig Cortis; September 2009
The Perseid Meteor Shower of August
David Huestis; August 2009
Rebuilding the Weight Drive for the 8¼-inch Alvan Clark at Seagrave Memorial Observatory
Allen Hall; August 2009
Sky Object of the Month - August 2009: “Chaple’s Arc”
Glenn Chaple; August 2009
The Heart of our Milky Way Galaxy
Craig Cortis; August 2009
40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing
David Huestis; July 2009
Sky Object of the Month - July 2009: Messier 6 and Messier 7
Glenn Chaple; July 2009
Round and Round (the Celestial Pole) We Go…
Craig Cortis; July 2009
Astronomical Potpourri in July
David Huestis; July 2009
Occultation/Graze of Antares by Moon: June 6, 2009
David Huestis; June 2009
Sky Object of the Month - June 2009: 44 Boötis
Glenn Chaple; June 2009
Searching for Extraterrestrial Signals
David Huestis; June 2009
Hubble Servicing Mission is the Culmination of the Space Shuttle Program
Jim Hendrickson; June 2009
May Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower
David Huestis; May 2009
Sky Object of the Month - May 2009: Mizar, The First Double Star
Glenn Chaple; May 2009
A Better Galaxy Guide: Late Spring
Craig Cortis; May 2009
Saturn's Disappearing Rings
David Huestis; April 2009
Sky Object of the Month - April 2009: Saturn's Moons
Glenn Chaple; April 2009
A Better Galaxy Guide: Early Spring
Craig Cortis; April 2009
The Moon: It's just a Phase it's Going Through
David Huestis; March 2009
Sky Object of the Month - March 2009: NGC 2362: Open Cluster in Canis Major
Glenn Chaple; March 2009
A White Dwarf You can Actually See!
Craig Cortis; February 2009
Sky Object of the Month - February 2009: Ceres
Glenn Chaple; February 2009
The Winter Circle
David Huestis; February 2009
Meteor Shower Prospects for IYA2009
David Huestis; January 2009
Sky Object of the Month - January 2009: Struve 817 Orionis
Glenn Chaple; January 2009
2008
Reflections on Three Decades of Variable Star Observing
Gerry Dyck; December 2008
Heaven’s View Observatory
Thomas Thibault; December 2008
Autumn Double Stars - Andromeda
Glenn Chaple; November 2008
Sometimes Binoculars are Best
Craig Cortis; November 2008
October Meteor Showers
David Huestis; October 2008
Astronomical Potpourri in September
David Huestis; September 2008
Exploring the Southern Constellations
Craig Cortis; September 2008
Thunderstones of August
David Huestis; August 2008
A Starhop Through Scutum
Craig Cortis; August 2008
Star Patterns in the Night Sky and Two Late Month Meteor Showers
David Huestis; July 2008
Summer Double Stars - Draco
Glenn Chaple; July 2008
The ISS, Space Shuttle and Iridium Flares, Oh My!
David Huestis; June 2008
May Astronomical Highlights
David Huestis; May 2008
Spring Double Stars - Cancer
Glenn Chaple; April 2008
April Lyrids Meteor Shower
David Huestis; April 2008
A Night With the Messiers
Jim Hendrickson; March 2008
Magnificent Saturn
David Huestis; March 2008
Lunar Disappearing Act
David Huestis; February 2008
Meteor Shower Prospects for 2008
David Huestis; January 2008
Winter Double Stars: Gemini
Glenn Chaple; January 2008
2007
Marvelous Mars
David Huestis; December 2007
Autumn Double Stars - Cygnus
Glenn Chaple; October 2007
October Meteor Showers
David Huestis; October 2007
Picture Perfect for the Perseids
David Huestis; August 2007
Total Lunar Eclipse at Moonset
David Huestis; August 2007
Summer Double Stars - Scorpius
Glenn Chaple; July 2007
Astronomical Highlights in June
David Huestis; June 2007
A Couple of Astronomical Highlights for May
David Huestis; May 2007
Spring Double Stars - Corona Borealis
Glenn Chaple; April 2007
Astronomical Events Determine Easter Observance
David Huestis; April 2007
April Meteor Shower
David Huestis; April 2007
Total Lunar Eclipse: an Update
David Huestis; April 2007
Total Lunar Eclipse at Moonrise
David Huestis; March 2007
Winter Double Stars - Orion
Glenn Chaple; January 2007
Meteor Shower Prospects for 2007
David Huestis; January 2007
2006
Transit of Mercury
David Huestis; November 2006
The Little Blue Book That Changed My Life or How I became an Amateur Astronomer
Jerry Jeffrey; September 2006
Our Solar System of Eight Planets
Jim Hendrickson; August 2006
Impactors and Their Possible Explosive Effects on the Earth: Part 1
Jerry Jeffrey; August 2006
How I became an Amateur Astronomer
Marian and Maria Juskuv; August 2006
The August Perseids and the Milky Way
David Huestis; August 2006
Summer Double Stars in Bootes
Glenn Chaple; July 2006
Astronomical Potpourri in June
David Huestis; May 2006
Some Memorable Nights
Gerry Dyck; May 2006
Shooting Stars of May
David Huestis; May 2006
How I became an Amateur Astronomer
Donna Gaumond; May 2006
How I became an Amateur Astronomer
Gerry Dyck; April 2006
Some Bright Spring Double Stars
Glenn Chaple; April 2006
April Meteor Shower
David Huestis; April 2006
The “Conjunction” of Frank Seagrave and Percival Lowell
David Huestis; April 2006
How I became an Amateur Astronomer
Robert Howe; March 2006
Springtime for Stargazers
David Huestis; March 2006
My Life as an Amateur Astronomer
Steve Hubbard; February 2006
Mid-Winter Astronomy Treats
David Huestis; February 2006
Meteor Shower Prospects for 2006
David Huestis; January 2006
Just Another Planet Book?
Gerry Dyck; January 2006
My Life as an Amateur Astronomer
John Kocur; January 2006
2005
Some Bright Winter Double Stars
Glenn Chaple; December 2005
The Mystery of the Christmas Star
David Huestis; December 2005
Annular Solar Eclipse Expedition
; December 2005
Marvelous Mars
David Huestis; November 2005
Mars History Highlights
David Huestis; November 2005
Some Bright Autumn Double Stars
Glenn Chaple; October 2005
Stardust Shower in August
David Huestis; August 2005
Meeting Captain Alan Bean
; August 2005
A Glimpse of Mercury & Two Minor Meteor Showers in July
David Huestis; July 2005
30th Anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
David Huestis; July 2005
Hybrid Eclipse Expedition
; June 2005
Plenty of Planetary Pleasures
David Huestis; June 2005
Some Bright Summer Double Stars
Glenn Chaple; June 2005
Shooting Stars of May
David Huestis; May 2005
A Difficult Month for Local Stargazers
David Huestis; April 2005
Easter and the Astronomical Connection
David Huestis; March 2005
30th Anniversary of the Skyscrapers Portable Planetarium Project
David Huestis; February 2005
Portable Planetarium Show Transcript
David Huestis; February 2005
Saturn's Splendor
David Huestis; February 2005
Meteor Shower Prospects for 2005
David Huestis; January 2005
2004
Comet Machholz in the Northern Sky
David Huestis; December 2004
Mid-December Meteor Shower
David Huestis; December 2004
Catch a Falling Star
David Huestis; October 2004
Prime Time Lunar Eclipse
David Huestis; October 2004
Space Places in Rhode Island: Part IV
David Huestis; September 2004
Stardust Shower in August
David Huestis; August 2004
Astronomical Odds and Ends in July
David Huestis; July 2004
Transit of Venus: A Rare Astronomical Event
David Huestis; June 2004
Another "NEAT" Comet
David Huestis; May 2004
See a "Dirty Snowball" in April
David Huestis; April 2004
March Winds Bring April Meteor Shower
David Huestis; April 2004
ET Phone Earth
David Huestis; March 2004
Stellar Rorschach
David Huestis; February 2004
Astronomical Highlights for 2004
David Huestis; January 2004
2003
Mid-December Meteor Shower
David Huestis; November 2003
An Historic 8¼" Alvan Clark Returns To It's Former Glory
Allen Hall; October 2003
Catch a Falling Star
David Huestis; October 2003
Mars Mania: Your Guide to a Close Encounter of the Planetary Kind
David Huestis; August 2003
Mooned-out Meteor Shower
David Huestis; August 2003
A Couple of Mid-Summer Meteor Showers
David Huestis; July 2003
Moon and Mercury Amaze in May
David Huestis; May 2003
Saturn - The True Lord of the Rings
David Huestis; March 2003
Stardust Memories: Frank E. Seagrave and Halley's Comet
David Huestis; March 2003
2002
Mid-December Meteor Shower
David Huestis; November 2002
August Perseids Update & Meteor Shower Prospects for October
David Huestis; September 2002
Space Places in Rhode Island
David Huestis; August 2002
Mid-Summer Meteor Shower
David Huestis; August 2002
Cygnus the Swan
David Huestis; July 2002
Swords of Fire: The Northern Lights
David Huestis; May 2002
A Giant Constellation: Orion
David Huestis; February 2002
1999
Mystery of the Christmas Star
David Huestis; December 1999
It's Full of Stars!
David Huestis; June 1999
1997
Spring Double Stars: The Three Leaps of the Gazelle
Nan D'Antuono; March 1997